Thursday, November 30, 2006

Day 12: Goleta and Carpinteria









Half the team rides 24 miles round trip to La Patera
Elementary School in Goleta, creating gardens and composting
systems with the 4th grade.

At La Patera School (24 miles round trip) we rolled up in
the morning and got busy on their raised garden beds.
Pullin' weeds, plantin' seeds (in the ground and in minds),
breakin' up clumps and chit chattin' with the 4th grade classes.
Their enthusiasm was certainly contagious and continued with
our composting games too. And we can't forget the worms...
we all loved playing with the worms who certainly
have a very important role!

AND

Half the team rides 24 miles round trip to Carpinteria Middle
School in Carpinteria, teaching the entire middle school
(over 400 students) about the AMBASSADORS OF THE ENVIRONMENT
4 Principles of Nature ....

EVERYTHING RUNS ON ENERGY

THERE IS NO WASTE IN NATURE

BIODIVERSITY IS NECESSARY

EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED

At lunch our bikes were showcased and our bellies were filled.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Day 11: The last of the Bermuda Grass




An easy-breezy 24 mile round trip ride to Brandon School in Goleta
seemed like a piece of cake. As we pulled up to the school we were
pleasantly surprised to see the bike rack filled with bicycles. Each
Wednesday at Brandon School is BOW-WOW day: "Bike on Wednesday, Walk
on Wednesday" What a cool idea!

When we arrived the 5th grade class was waiting and ready to work in
their garden and learn about composting. Together we pulled out
bermuda grass, amended the soil to plant peas and lettuce in their
garden, and played in compost. We hope the visit not only left a
positive mark on the school community, but also encouraged the 5th
graders to become ambassadors of the environment.

The day ended with a pot-luck dinner with our Ocean Futures family in
the Santa Barbara office (our home base for the next few days in Santa
Barbara). Such a wonderful and welcoming community, and the gathering
left everyone with full bellies and smiles on our faces.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Day 10: Gardening and Composting










Crane Country Day School Gardening and Composting Projects in Monteceito, California.

We woke up on the floor of the Library at Crane Country Day School
refreshed and ready for a big day. Spirits were high as we prepared
for the students arrival because after all THIS is what we do best.

Some of the AOTE volunteers spent their time in Crane's garden working
with the students to build a compost bin and other garden projects.
The rest of the volunteers led a workshop on Greening Your School with
the 6th graders.

The positive feedback we received after our slideshow presentation to
the entire school gave us the energy we needed to keep on pedaling.
Thank you so much Crane Country Day School for your support and
generosity!!!


AND

Brandon School Gardening and Composting Projects in Goleta, California.

We pulled and weeded lots of Bermuda grass and prepped for planting Mr. Ranson's 5th grade native and edibles garden. We also cleaned and prepped the school compost bin so now all of Brandon School's students can actively compost food waste and create fresh compost for their new garden.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Day 9: Warm Welcome in Santa Barbara

Ride 59 miles Lompoc to Santa Barbara.

As our heads were hitting the pillow we could hear the pitter-patter
of rain on our tents. The thought of riding 60 miles in the rain made
us toss and turn in our sleeping bags. But as we unzipped our tents
the clouds parted and provided us with nothing but sunshine ahead.

The climbing started early as we pushed to reach the highest elevation
of our trip at over 1,000 feet. What goes up must come down! We all
loved the screaming downhill where we clocked in at 40 mph!!! We
refueled at sea level with a picnic lunch at El
Capitan State Park. We
ended our day's ride at Crane Country Day School in Santa Barbara.
They greeted us with warm smiles and lots of cheers. What a beautiful
campus and wonderful school community!


We were welcomed by Country Day School with a nice library to snuggle up and sleep in tonight and a pizza party to fill our bellies!

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Day 6, 7, 8: Lots of Riding and Fresh Air to Appreciate

Day 8: Sunday, November 26th, 2006
Ride 49 miles Pismo to Lompoc.
Camp at River Park RV Campground.

We're getting addicted to biking!!! We're definitely beyond loopy,
which makes our riding even more entertaining, singing songs and
giggling 49 miles from Pismo to Lompoc. Monarch butterflies were
certainly a highlight of the morning, and a nice women taught us all
about the fascinating creatures.

Some of us may have psyched ourselves out after rumors of a giant hill
(the "Biggest One Yet"), but it actually wasn't that bad. More
fields, more agriculture, more pesticides. We're really getting good
at this whole biking thing…although we found out later that night that
our talents don't necessarily transfer over to bowling.


Day 7: Saturday, November 25th, 2006
Ride 54 miles San Simeon to Pismo.
Camp at Pismo State North Beach.

Frost in the morning??? We thought we were in sunny California! Oh
well, back on our bikes early in the morn to ride ~60 miles to Pismo
Beach State Park. We're getting good at this whole biking
business…seems like our legs and spirits are getting stronger every
day.

A nice day of rolling hills led us through the beautiful Morro Bay to
eat a big organic lunch at our good friend Rose's place. A few of us
spent the morning at a farm gleaning organic peppers and avocados from
a nice farmer we met at the farmer's market the day before. The
afternoon seemed surprisingly short with more rolling hills and time
to rest up and take a dip at Pismo Beach State Park.




Day 6: Friday, November 24th, 2006
Ride 38 miles Plaskett Creek to San Simeon.
Camp at Simeon State Park.

Another beautiful 40 mile ride to San Simeon State Park, another day
of enormous up and downs, another day of encouraging each other to
push ourselves and do things we never thought was possible! Wow…isn't
this what we try to teach our student who come out to Catalina Island
and push their comfort zones?

Along the ride we got the opportunity to stop off at a waterfall (some
of us took a quick dip in the fridged water), and we ate lunch along
side the elephant seals at the beach. Not bad for a morning ride!

We got to the campsite early enough to stop buy the local farmers
market where we chatted, informed, and ended up leaving with boxes
full of local organic produce due to generous donations. Yummy!!!
Finally we got some much needed broccoli in our bellies. Big thank
you to the many many people who have supported this trip so far!!!

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Day 5: In Gear for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Ride

Ride 38 miles: Andrew Molera to Plasket Creek.
Camp at Plasket Creek.


Thanksgiving was our hilliest day yet. Big Sur left our legs burning
but it was all worth it for the inspirational views of the coastline.
What a great way to see the coast of California!!!

We rode approximately 40 miles up and down, taking short breaks to
stroll through the Redwoods, stop off at waterfalls, and enjoy the
scenery. We ended our days ride to camp at Plasket Creek.



Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Day 4: Hurray! Monterey!


Ride 63 miles Capitola to Andrew Molera
Camp at Andrew Molera Campsite



Whooo!!! Big day of riding! Little bike computers clocked us in at
over 70 miles to get to Andrew
Molera Campsite at the Northern end of
Big
Sur.

The morning led us on bike paths through rolling hills of colorful
foliage, leaving some of us reminiscent of East Coast autumn leaves.
We also rode through agricultural fields, getting up close and
personal with the pesticide sprayed crops. We could smell and taste
the chemicals. Can you imagine what that must be like for the farm
workers? Wow! Even our photographer Dan got a mouthful of chemicals
when trying to get some shots of the monoculture. The afternoon
consisted of more
bustin' up big hills until a spectacular sunset that
brought us into our campsite.


Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Day 3: Down to Santa Cruz we go!

Early morning ride 21 miles to San Jose.

Outreach presentations at Almaden Country Day School

Afternoon ride 10 miles to base of Santa Cruz Mountains, and then continue 21 miles to Santa Cruz Camp at New Brighton State Beach.



Hey check it out...we made the news from our visit to Almaden Country
Day School! http://www.almadentimes.com/current/schools.htm

We woke up at the crack of dawn to bike 21 miles to Almaden. They
welcomed us and we began programming in the garden with 1st graders,
quickly followed by some more classroom activities with 5-8th graders.
So cool to see these students in their own community!!!

Next we had an amazing celebratory Thanksgiving feast with the whole
school! We felt like guests of honor amongst various teachers,
students, and parent volunteers. The AOTE volunteers headed up
compost monitoring for the 450 people who attended the event. Our
visit ended with a party in the compost bin (mixing in food and
tearing up paper table cloths). Thanks for the warm welcome and
fantastic visit ACS.

A exhilarating mostly downhill ride through the redwoods led us to New
Brighton State Beach, where we had our 1st night of camping.
Burrrrrrrrr...... [Happy 25th Birthday Becky!]





Our AOTE Sustainable Bike Outreach Team


  • Name: BECKY
  • Where from: Downers Grove IL
  • Educational Background: Communication major
  • What do you like to learn about? Arabic literature
  • Why are you doing this bike ride? I like late night meetings.
  • Favorite quote: “Never let ‘hard to do’ get in the way of something worth doing”
  • Ways in which you give back to your community? I had always gone to schools in towns outside of the one I grew up in, and never felt very connected to the people that lived there. When I recently had 9 months to live back at my parent’s house, I decided I would take a job that would connect me back to my community. I ended up working in a day care facility, interacting with the children and parents of my hometown. Now when I go home I have more familiar faces and deeper connections to people I see everyday.
  • What inspires you? Teaching
  • Who inspires you? My co-workers
  • Organizations you’ve been a part of: DuPage County Forest Preserve – Fleet Services.
  • Favorite company to support: Heartland CafĂ©, Rogers Park Chicago, IL
  • Favorite food: creamed cucumbers
  • Furthest you rode your bike before this trip: It’s almost a tie, but there is a small difference. My second longest trip was 30 miles from Santa Monica to San Pedro, it took about four hours. I suppose I’ll never know how many miles we traveled during my longest bike trip. All I can say is that we went from San Pedro to Santa Monica, it took us eight hours, we were seriously lost, but ate some good burritos.
  • What type of music do you listen to? The Stones & The Clash.
  • Favorite book: Skinny Legs and All – Tom Robbins
  • Favorite biking gear/outfit: bike gloves. My grandma had a pair growing up that I begged her to give me. She never did, but that might be why I’m so happy with mine today.
  • Name of your bike: Haven’t asked her yet.
  • Favorite ice cream: mint chocolate chip

  • Name: CAROLINE GASSER
  • Where from: Waukesha, WI
  • Educational Background: B.S.-- U of Minnesota/Twin Cities
  • What do you like to learn about? Right now I’m really into learning about birds and rocks, but mostly people, bikes, and Spanish speaking tips.
  • Why are you doing this bike ride? It’s a baby step in the right direction for saving our planet.
  • Favorite quote: Don’t write a check your butt can’t cash.
  • Ways in which you give back to your community? I like to hangout with kids and educate ourselves about community happenings, by just getting involved.
  • Favorite company to support: I like to spread the dough around
  • Favorite food: my grandma’s potato salad…yummy.
  • What’s the furthest you rode your bike before this trip: 600ish miles
  • What type of music do you listen to? Anything that inspires me to dance and sing
  • Favorite book: anything by Shel Silverstein
  • Favorite biking gear/outfit: warm clothes while night riding/cruising
  • Name of your bike: One Crotch Rocket (OCR 1)
  • Favorite ice cream: Blue Moon

  • Name: COURTNEY
  • I’ve traveled a long way for this bike trip and I’m pumped! My name is Courtney, I grew up in Tasmania, Australia and I own a pre-loved Trek 1000, fully kitted out and sold to me by a wonderful guy named Ralph. My dream is to ride sustainably down the east coast of Australia, but for now my unconditioned butt will have to try and slog it out 700 miles along the beautiful Californian coastline. I’m most looking forward to getting to see sunrise everyday and the home communities of children I know; helping them to develop more sustainable paths in their lives.
Those who come to know the grace of nature will find in it a strength to nourish them for the rest of their lives


  • Name: CYNTHIA GOULET
  • Hi, I’m Cynthya Goulet and I am from Montreal, Canada. I graduated this past May from the University of Illinois with finance and accounting degrees. I played on the varsity tennis team and am very active but I’m fairly new to biking. I am very excited for this bike trip because I have never seen the coast of California. Riding our bikes, we will get a closer and more intimate look at the beautiful coastline. The longest time I have ever spent on a bike is a day. So I am a bit worried about sitting on a bike daily for three weeks but being with such great friends and coworkers will make it memorable. I just bought a used bike and hope that I love it even after spending three weeks riding it. I’m hoping to find a name for my bike along the ride. The best part of this trip is that we are using our own energy to travel and not fossil fuels.

  • Name: HEATHER
  • Where from: Massachusetts
  • Educational Background: Anthropology
  • What do you like to learn about? Eastern philosophy
  • Why are you doing this bike ride? I wanted to run along the California coast during the bike tour. Everyone tells me that will take much longer, so I will just ride.
  • Favorite quote: "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."-- Franklin Delano Roosevelt
  • Ways in which you give back to your community?
  • What inspires you?
  • Who inspires you? My Mom.
  • Organizations you’ve been a part of: Naturalists at Large
  • Favorite company to support: Santa Barbara Roasting Company
  • Favorite food: Thai
  • Furthest you rode your bike before this trip: To my Grandma’s house
  • What type of music do you listen to? Bob Dylan
  • Favorite book: Catch-22
  • Favorite biking gear/outfit: maroon sleeveless riding jersey
  • Name of your bike: Mocha
  • Favorite ice cream: Strawberry

  • Name: JACOB SCHEIDLER
  • My name is Jacob Scheidler, and I’m from Indiana. I moved to Michigan for a degree in Biology from Hope College. I’ve worked with a range of wildlife from mongooses to condors and now people. For me, this trip is an opportunity to see the California coast from the unbeatable perspective of a bicycle as well as to help reconnect students with their environment.

  • Name: KATHY ROSE
  • Where from: New York
  • Educational Background: Sociology and Art at Vassar College
  • What do you like to learn about? Communities around the world
  • Why are you doing this bike ride? A fun way to learn about different communities in California, spend a lot of time near the ocean, and at the same time we’re spreading the word about issues I care about!
  • Favorite quote: “Freedom is for all or it’s all for nothing!”--Team Dresch
  • Ways in which you give back to your community? Educating, Agitating, and Organizing around issues that are important to me.
  • What inspires you? Art, music, good discussion, critical thinking, and laughing
  • Who inspires you? People who overcome challenges and make a difference in their communities
  • Organizations you’ve been a part of: Community Works, Student Activist Union, Student Environmental Action Coalition, Books Through Bars, Food not Bombs
  • Favorite company to support: Thrift stores and really cool non-profit organizations
  • Favorite food: Thai
  • Furthest you rode your bike before this trip: From LA to Phoenix last year
  • What type of music do you listen to? Music my friends make, pretty music, fun music to dance to
  • Favorite book: Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
  • Favorite biking gear/outfit: hot pink anything
  • Name of your bike: Last year I had a purple bike named Purple Lightning, this year I don’t know yet
  • Favorite ice cream: Soy Dream
  • Biking in November and December? This is unheard of where I come from…My name is Kathy and I grew up in Syracuse, New York. Then I went to school in Poughkeepsie, New York where I studied Sociology and Art. There’s snow on the ground in New York now, so I’m extremely excited to be on my bike out here in California near the beach! Such a fun way to get around, and I get to wear funny biking outfits with bright colors. I moved out to California in the summer of 2005 I’ve back and fourth between Catalina Island and Berkeley, where I teach art in San Francisco jails. Both places are pretty fantastic in my opinion.

  • Name: KENNY MEESE
  • Where from: I was born in Auckland, NZ and grew up in Melbourne, Australia
  • Educational Background: Graduated high school, decided to take a year off before going to university (that was 5 years ago!)
  • What do you like to learn about? The Biome that surrounds me
  • Why are you doing this bike ride? To enjoy one of the most amazing coastlines on the planet and have the opportunity to take the sustainability message on the road.
  • Favorite quote: “Think Globally, Act Locally”
  • Ways in which you give back to your community? Supporting Local Organic Farmers
  • What inspires you? Seeing people learn something new
  • Who inspires you? Paul Watson, Founder of Sea Shepherd
  • Organizations you’ve been a part of: Greenpeace, Freecycle.org
  • Favorite company to support: Any company that uses sustainable practices and pays fair wages to its suppliers.
  • Favorite food: Mexican
  • Furthest you rode your bike before this trip: A few miles, I haven’t owned a bike since I was a teenager.
  • What type of music do you listen to? Beck, Bob Dylan, The Decemberists, Speakeasy, John Farhnam
  • Favorite book: “Into The Wild” By John Krakouer.

  • Name: LARS GAALAAS
  • I am Lars Gaalaas and I grew up in the lakes region of northern Minnesota swimming, canoeing, fishing, cross country skiing in the winter, and generally spending time outdoors. I am 23 years old and studied chemistry and environmental studies at St. Olaf College, a small liberal arts school in Minnesota. To tour the west coast on bicycle stands as one of my life goals, and this trip catapults me into getting it done! I look forward to teaching students all along our California route about how they might help their communities become more sustainable. Between stops see me on my steel frame Novara Randonee touring bike pedaling by the words of Trey Anastasio: “Set the gearshift into the high gear of your soul!”

  • Name: LAURIE HENRY
  • Where from: The beautiful Garden State- New Jersey
  • Educational Background: Stockton College of New Jersey BS in Environmental Studies
  • What do you like to learn about?
  • Why are you doing this bike ride? I think it is important to take our message on the road and to follow up with students. I also think it will be a great personal challenge to complete the ride and a cool way to see California.
  • Favorite quote:
  • Ways in which you give back to your community?
  • What inspires you? Nature and music
  • Who inspires you?
  • Organizations you’ve been a part of: Clean Plate Club
  • Favorite company to support:
  • Favorite food: Ice cream
  • Furthest you rode your bike before this trip: 650 miles on last years bike trip
  • What type of music do you listen to? Anything I can sing to
  • Favorite book: A Walk in the Woods
  • Favorite biking gear/outfit: My new bike hat
  • Name of your bike: Silver bullet
  • Favorite ice cream : Ben and Jerry’s Chubby Hubby

  • Name: MAGGIE GRISET…Reading, MA…
  • To me, this bike tour (although it’ll probably kick my butt) is a total dream. My name is Maggie and I come from just north of Boston, Massachusetts where going anywhere or doing anything “requires” riding in a car fueled by expensive, destructive gasoline—even if the destination is only one mile down the road. I am thrilled to ride down the beautiful California coastline in a more sustainable manner—powered by nothing but the food I’ll eat, the friends who’ll support me, and the second-hand bike so graciously donated to our cause. More than 60 years ago my grandfather rode solo on his ten-speed road bike from Massachusetts up the east coast into Canada, all the way to the northern tip of Nova Scotia. Someday I hope to follow his path up north. But for now these 700 or so miles southward from San Francisco to San Diego should do the trick—especially with such an incredible group of riders to encourage me and the inspiring communities we’ll visit to motivate me.

  • Name: MEAGAN
  • LEAVING LITTLE IMPACT are my three words for this bicycle tour. I can speak for everyone when I say we love, love, love the idea of taking the sustainable word on the road. I’m Meagan coming to you from Indiana. The message of Ambassadors of the Environment has spurred many including myself to take action in their communities all over the world. Inspiring to me are grass root movements making big statements and empowering people to help themselves. Vandana Shiva is on my must read list as a gal with a mission in the arena of food politics. On the subject of food I can’t resist home grown fruits or veggies. They’re the fuel that can power you to get from point A to B, which is typically 5 miles or less, everyday!
    “Be the change you want to see in the world”~Gandhi

  • Name: NATE ERLANDSON
  • Where from: Minnesota
  • Educational Background: Bachelor of Arts from Saint Olaf College (Biology)
  • What do you like to learn about? The Way Things Work
  • Why are you doing this bike ride? To see the beautiful coastline of California, and to educate people on how to keep it beautiful along the way.
  • Favorite quote: Today’s problems cannot be solved if we still think the way we thought when we created them. -Albert Einstein
  • Ways in which you give back to your community? Volunteering
  • What inspires you? Nature
  • Who inspires you? Endurance athletes
  • Organizations you’ve been a part of: Boy Scouts of America, Junior National Biathlon Team, Mount Itasca Biathlon, Saint Andrews Youth Group, PADI Diving Society, St. Olaf Nordic Ski Team
  • Favorite company to support: Any company that believes in a sustainable future
  • Favorite food: Venison
  • Furthest you rode your bike before this trip: A couple Hundred Miles
  • What type of music do you listen to? Everything but Country
  • Favorite book: The Walking Drum
  • Favorite biking gear/outfit: USPS team gear
  • Name of your bike: Big Sur
  • Favorite ice cream: Mint Chocolate Chip/Cookies n Cream

  • Name: OWEN FARCY
  • Where from: Vashon Island, WA
  • Educational Background: BS from Emory University (Atlanta)
  • What do you like to learn about? everything
  • Why are you doing this bike ride? because this is the only real way to see California.
  • Favorite quote: Every little bit counts.
  • Ways in which you give back to your community? In any way I can!
  • What inspires you? Anything and everything
  • Who inspires you? The students!
  • Organizations you’ve been a part of: Emory Cross Country and Track teams, PADI Diving Society
  • Favorite company to support: Trader Joes
  • Favorite food: Salmon
  • Furthest you rode your bike before this trip: From camp to Two Harbors and back (10 miles)
  • What type of music do you listen to? A little bit of everything
  • Favorite book: I, Lucifer
  • Favorite biking gear/outfit: my scorpion shirt
  • Name of your bike: yet to be named
  • Favorite ice cream: Black Cherry w/ chocolate chunks
  • Owen Farcy hails from a tiny island in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, near Seattle. He studied biology and ethics at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, before making the long and arduous journey back out west to arrive on Catalina Island. Having spent so much of his life on islands, he feels a strong connection to the ocean and nearly everything in it (the litter and pollution he could do without). While he loves to spend time in the ocean, he’s also big on running and has run on five of the seven continents. Biking represents a new challenge, however, and he’s hoping to survive the trip long enough to visit at least three schools - he’s sincerely sorry if the others miss out on his shining presence, but that’s just the way it goes sometimes.

  • Name: CHRISTINE SCHWICHTENBERG
  • Christine Schwichtenberg, 23 years old, from Minnesota.
  • I recently graduated from St. Olaf College with a Biology major and an Environmental Studies concentration. I have always craved doing a trip down the California coast, and what better way to see the coastline than from the seat of a bicycle. I am a little nervous for this adventure because I am new to the sport of biking. I think the longest time I have spent on a bike is three hours, and now I’ve signed up for three weeks! Despite my lack in experience, I am excited to feel the wind in my face and the burn in my thighs as I pump up those hills. Transportation minus fossil fuels is not only sustainable, but good for the body; hopefully this trip will begin a lifelong endeavor to diminish my reliance on nonrenewable resources.


Monday, November 20, 2006

Day 2: Bart to Mountains



We woke up early this morning and rode 1 mile to Bart.




Bart to San Francisco Embarcadero station.



Ride 3 miles to Claire Lilienthal School for school outreach visit.





Ride 43 miles to Los Altos in the Foothills.


Get a good nights rest and up and at 'em again early tomorrow morning!